Sheet pack edge protector



June 2, 1959 B. H. IMHOFF ET AL SHEET PACK EDGE PROTECTOR Filed July 20, 1953 INVENTORS. BERNARD H. IMHOFF &

JOHN K. MCCAHAN 54,6. kid W;

United States Patent @fiFiCe 2,889,166 Patented June 2, 1959 2,889,166 SHEET PA'CK EDGE PROTECTOR Bernard H. Imhoif and John K. Mc'Cahan, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignors to Jones & Laughlin Steel Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 20, 1953, Serial No. 368,994 1 Claim. (Cl. 294-81) This invention is concerned with apparatus for protecting the upper edges of a pack of sheets from damage by sling chains or cables. This invention is more particularly concerned with apparatus of this type which is adjustable to accommodate sheet packs of various widths Metal sheets, particularly steel sheets, are handled and shipped in stacks or packs of sheets of a given size which at some stage of processing are generally stacked on pallets for convenience in handling. When it is desired to lift these sheet packs by crane means, it is necessary to use slings of chain or rope which are trained under the pallet and up around the sides of the sheet pack to the crane hook. When a sheet pack is lifted in this manner, the weight of the pack causes the sling cable to press against the upper edges of the pack at the points where the cable inclines toward the crane hook, which, of course, is more or less centrally positioned with respect to the upper surface of the pack. Because the individual sheets in a pack are relatively thin, the sling cable may bite into the edges of the upper sheets, damaging them extensively. Various make-shift means have been employed to alleviate such damage, but to the best of our knowledge no practical and effective protective means have been available prior to our invention.

It is an object, therefore, of our invention to provide a convenient and simple form of apparatus which protects the upper edges of a sheet pack when it is lifted with sling cables.

It is a further object of our invention to provide such an apparatus which is readily adjustable to sheet packs of various widths.

A present preferred embodiment of our invention is illustrated in the attached figures to which reference is now made.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of apparatus embodying our invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of a pack of sheets arranged to be lifted by slings and to which our apparatus has been applied.

Our apparatus comprises a hollow member 2 which may be tubular in section and which telescopes over a second member 7 which also may be tubular in section. The outer end of member 2 is provided with a curved member 4 which is attached to member 2 by welding or other means at right angles thereto. The outer end of member 7 is provided with a similar curved member 8. The upper end of member 4 extends above member 2 a short distance, whereas the lower end 3 of member 4 extends below member 2 a distance considerably greater. Likewise, upper end of member 8 extends above member 7 a distance considerably less than lower end 9 extends below member 7. The outer surface 6 of member 4 is concave as shown, and the outer surface 11 of member 8 is likewise concave as shown. Member 2 may be provided with a hook 12 for convenience in lifting the apparatus.

A pack or stack of sheets 1 is stacked upon a pallet 17, which is usually a wooden platform p ovided with skid means 18 spacing the pallet from the floor or other surface upon which it rests. When sheet pack 1 stacked on pallet 17 is to be lifted, a sling chain or cable 15 is pushed under pallet 17 and its end loops 13 and 14 brought up around sheet pack 1. The apparatus of our invention is adjusted to the width of the sheet pack to be lifted by pulling member 7 out of member .2 or pushing it therein, as required, and our apparatus is placed across the top of the pack of sheets so that members 2 and 7 rest on the top of the pack and the curved end members 4 and 8 extend down along the sides of the sheet pack. Sling cable 15 is then brought up so that the portions of this cable extending along the sides of sheet pack 1 are laid in concave members 4 and 8, and end loops 13 and 14 of cable 15 are looped over crane hook 16 which is attached to hoist chain 19. Two slings are, of course, required for a pack of sheets so that two of our devices are required to be used with each pack to be lifted. The portions of the sling cables lying alongside each side of sheet pack 1 may incline toward each other, so that end members '4 and 8 of our apparatus will not necessarily remain vertical, but will adjust themselves to the inclination of the sling cable. If members 2 and 7 are circular in cross section, as shown in Figure 1, our apparatus will easly roll or rock on the top of the sheet pack so as to allow such adjustment. Furthermore, this construction of our apparatus permits end members 4 and 8 to adjust themselves individually to the inclination of that portion of the sling cable laid in each.

When sheet pack 1 is lifted by the crane, its weight causes sling cable 15 to press against members 4 and 8 of our apparatus, but as these members may be ruggedly constructed they are not damaged by sling chains or wire cables. The tension in cable 15 merely forces members 4 and 8 of our apparatus against the sides of sheet pack 1, but since the inner surfaces of members 4 and 8 are smooth and contact the edges of the sheets in sheet pack 1 over a considerable area, the edges of the sheets are not damaged. When sheet pack 1 is set down again and sling cable 15 removed, our apparatus may be likewise removed and used with another pack.

The telescoping of member 7 within member 2 of our apparatus makes it readily adjustable to sheet packs of different Widths, as has been mentioned. One embodiment of our invention has been constructed to accommodate sheets from 11 inches to 20 inches in Width, but obviously the apparatus of our invention can be constructed to accommodate sheets of any reasonable range of widths desired. Members 2 and 7 may be made from ordinary steel pipe, and members 4 and 8 may be formed from steel plate bent to shape or from sections of large diameter steel pipe. It is, of course, not necessary that members 4 and 8 should be curved exactly as shown in Figure 1, but these members should be formed so as to prevent the sling cable from slipping out of them, and should afford substantial area of contact with the sides of the sheet pack. Member 2 may be conveniently formed from pipe having an external diameter of about 1 5 inches and an internal diameter of about 1 4 inches. Member 7 may be formed from pipe having an external diameter of about 1 inch. Members 4 and 8 may be approximately half sections of steel pipe of about 3 inches in diameter and may be made about 5 inches long. The upper ends 5 and 10 of members 4 and 8, respectively, need project above members 2 and 7, respectively, only a short distance, such as A to inch. The thickness of members 4 and 8 may be /5 to inch.

Although we have described and illustrated a present preferred embodiment of our invention, it may, of course, be modified as dictated by the skill of the art: and the requirements of the user,

We claim:

Apparatus for protecting the upper edges of a pack of sheets from damage by sling cables comprising a pair of telescoping members adapted to extend across the top of the pack and rest thereon, each provided at its outside 5 end with outwardly concave shield means rigidly attached at right angles to said telescoping member and adapted to extend downwardly along the side of the pack between the pack and a sling cable laid in the concave shield means and to be held against the side of the pack by 10 said sling cable.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Van Depoele July 23, Austin Aug. 5, Blodgett June 21, Morgan Aug. 21, Fink Feb. 6, Anderson June 6, Stewart et a1 Dec. 23,

FOREIGN PATENTS Canada Apr. 11, 

